A Lesson Well Unlearned
by Lost Legendaerie
Summary: -Sequel to Rhyme Over Reason- Everyone makes mistakes in their lifetimes, but no one can run from them forever. When Joshua's forced to confront his past, he'll have to choose whether to learn from his mistakes... or make them all over again. JxR
1. Charity and Effect

_(edited since initially published-version 2)_

A/N. Wows. I was really really thinking I'd get flamed ROYALLY for this um's prequel... thing. Thanks to all the reviewers, especially Withdrawn. That was the

best review EVER. I write this due to the request, plus my total love of the 'Petite Prince' as Kariya calls him, and there's a terrible lack of Joshyme around here.

Sorry if I break the rules of WEWY...I just love Kariya.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own WEWY, a fivestar hotel, mirrored aviator sunglasses, or a sleek black sportscar. Maybe one day, though...

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A Lesson Well Un-learned

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-Sequel to Rhyme Over Reason- Everyone makes mistakes in their lifetimes, but no one can run from them forever. When Joshua's forced to confront his past, he'll have to choose whether to learn from his mistakes... or make them all over again. JoshuaxRhyme, Preexsisting NekuxShiki.

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-Chapter One-

-Charity and Effect -

-x0x-

_Whoever said business trips weren't fun were in the wrong business._

The ashen-haired almost 17 year old thinking this let the corner of his mouth quirk up in a smirk, adjusting his mirrored sunglasses as he coasted down the highway in his sleek black sports car. A good Composer needed to check up on the UGs outside of Shibuya, and Joshua was taking this trip to visit a Game in France and talk to the new Composers. Two people running a Game were rare, but if any two could handle it, it was Uzuki Yoshiro and Koki Kariya. Old Reapers of his, he still felt superior to them and had the need to exert his authority over them once more.

He chuckled again to himself. He was going to enjoy this- a five star hotel far, FAR away from the painful reminder of his past mistakes. One in particular- a certain kiss with a certain someone ending with a broken nose about 5 months ago. This memory still made him flinch.

_Heh, at least I've managed to be 'busy' for so long; avoiding people is my specialty, after all. This trip is just what I need to finally get over her- I mean, it. The unfortunate mistake. Riiiight._

We all think that some time to one's self will clear one's mind. It absolutely never does.

A few minutes later, Yoshira Kirya (also known as Joshua) was pulling into the parking lot of a rather expensive hotel just south of Paris. _I love France_, he mentally stated. _Good food, good architecture.. not to mention one of the smoothest running Games around. Polar opposites work rather well together._

_I wonder if Rhyme and I could-_

_No. I promised myself, back when I became the Composer, that business would always come before personal. I just need to get away for a time, then everything will sort itself out._

Tossing his keys to the valet, Joshua adjusted his loose collar, straightening his black jacket over the typical blue shirt. Only he could wear Pegaso like jeans and a t-shirt. And look good doing it.

Leaning over the reception counter seductively, he spoke to the blushing female behind the counter, the seductive native language rolling off his tongue. She handed him his suite's card key, and he smartly slipped off again as the main door opened behind him.

"We need a room, yo! " A blonde-haired 17 year old slapped his palms on the counter, followed by another teenage male with orange hair, a girl of the same age with black waves and glasses, and...a 14 year old girl.

_The universe just LOVES royally screwing me over, doesn't it. The irony..._

Beat continued to try to talk to the foreign receptionist as his friends stared around at their luxurious surrounding with the word TOURIST seemingly branded on their foreheads. Their collective lives were probably worth less money then the chandelier. "Say what? "

"Have you no reservations? Then have you no room. " She replied and broken but snotty English. Shiki took over. "But our plane's delayed and we can't leave here for 2 days, plus every other place is full! "

"Sorry for you. " The receptionist turned back around, ignoring the distraught teenagers. Then a sapphire gaze swept over Joshua, leaving behind a rush of heat to his face. Rhyme didn't say one word, and she didn't have too. He knew exactly what she was thinking.

His father had always said that Joshua was allergic to being nice. This was very possible, considering last time he had opened his house to visitor, he lost all sense of reason and played 'tonsil hockey' with a 13 year old.

Still...he could almost hear Rhyme's silent plea.

_Please._

Joshua took in a deep breath, then turned around and spoke to the receptionist. "They're with me. "

At last, the rest of the group saw him. Beat was openly shocked, Shiki was confused, Neku was looking dubious, and Rhyme... Her pure blue gaze was filled with gratitude... so deep that for the briefest moment, all Joshua wanted to do was get lost in them. Quickly, he snapped himself back to reality.

"I didn't know you were visiting France... " _otherwise I would be on the other side of the planet right now_, he mentally finished. "What are you doing here? "

Beat was slightly bristling from Joshua's icy and disdainful tone, but Shiki beat him to the punch. "Our school was doing a study abroad thing, and we couldn't leave Rhyme at home, so we got a separate plane then the rest of our group because the other one was fully booked. Then our plane got damaged yesterday, and now we're stranded here until it's fixed. "

"And that is...? "

Neku spoke up at last. "Two or so days. What are you doing here? "

Joshua chuckled, and looked at them over the top of his aviators. "Business. " Looking up, he snapped over a bellboy. "You there, follow the blonde gentleman and bring his bags to the Princess Suite. Got it? "

"Yes, sir. "

He could sense Neku smirking behind his oversized shirt collar. "Whatever you're about to say, don't say it. "

As soon as Joshua opened the door to his room, however, Neku wasn't able to say anything at all. In front of them lay a luxurious sitting room with leather couches, designer lamps, and a plush Persian rug. To the right, a short hallway lead off into the kitchen and dining room, to the right a bathroom bigger than most hotel rooms, complete with Jacuzzi, and a gorgeous bedroom with a elegant bed you could park two cars on and have room to spare.

The three guests just stood in the doorway, taking it all in.

"Wow... " Rhyme's rapturous sigh seemed to turn the air to silver. "Like it? " Joshua could not resist asking.

"Holy mother of... " Neku gaped openly. "How can you afford something like this? "

"Bribe the hotel owners and reserve it 4 months in advance, " he quipped back. "Make yourselves at home. "

He flopped himself down in the center of the couch, picking the remote off of the coffee table as he did so. Pressing a button, he let himself have a small smile of satisfaction as the plasma TV fully the size of a king-sized mattress seemed to descend from the heavens. _Money can't buy happiness... Pffft. Whoever said that must have been poor and miserable_.

Behind them, Beat and the bellboy walked in. "Fuck, dude! " Rhyme's brother has a tendency to swear, in case nobody noticed. "This is bad ASS, man! "

He punched Joshua lightly on the shoulder, taking a seat on the far left side of the couch. Neku and Shiki quickly claimed the right side, and Rhyme delicately seated herself between her brother and Joshua.

Neku started to reach for the remote, but the ashen-haired teenager slapped his hand away. "My hotel room, _I_ get the remote. "

He turned on the screen, and all were treated to high definition porn for a moment before the channel was hastily changed. Next up was the classic horror film Jaws, causing a collective flinch from the viewers- all remembering Rhyme's in-Game death painfully.

Joshua changed the channel again; a sigh of relief emanating from his friends, only to be followed by gasps of glee from the females and groans from the males.

"Pride and Prejudice! " Shiki gasped!

"My favorite movie, " Rhyme breathed. Neku succeeded in snatching the remote from Joshua. "No chick movies, _prince_. "

The channel changed again, as an apparent Cuban male picked up a huge gun. "Say hello to my little friend!! " Gunshots rang out, and random people spasmed and died as the Composer rescued the remote. "NO BLOOD!! "

At last, they settled on 'The Illusionist', and as the opening credits rolled, Joshua let himself relax_. I can do this... I am fine. This is going to be a breeze._

Just then, Rhyme's hand ever-so-lightly brushed against his, sending electric sparks up his arm. His gaze flicked over to her innocent face, and he knew.

Yoshiya Kiryu had fallen for a pair of big blue eyes.

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CHAPTER CLOSED.


	2. A Composer's Composure

A/N

A/N. As I write this... I am insane. I received another batch of Cocoa Puffs and vanilla ice cream today.. call it my Joshyme fuel...

TOAST.

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-Chapter Two-

-A Composer's Composure-

-x0x-

The couches in the Princess Suite were of the finest quality known to mortals- leather so supple and smooth it was like butter, cushions supportive but not too firm- in short, total furniture nirvana. Despite all this, Joshua had been tossing and turning for the last 4 hours in the dark. He felt like he was sleeping on pins and needles; his moments of sleep were few and far between.

With a frustrated movement, he flipped his cell phone open. The clock read 3:14.

"Shit, " he muttered. He had to get up in two hours. _Why did I let myself get talked into staying up late watching mystery movies with Neku and Rhyme? Because __**she**__ asked you to, dumbass._

Joshua had never called himself anything even vaguely insulting due to his semi-omni-potency going straight to his head and inflating his ego to gross proportions. However, right now that was pretty much all forgotten as he tried to sleep.

_Stupid stupid stupid STUPID!! I am 27 different kinds of an idiot! ROMANCE IS SUICIDE!!_

Viciously, he kicked off the blanket that separated his light pajama pants from the cool suite air, surrendering to his restlessness and going for a short walk down the hall.

Passing the bedroom, he paused in the doorway and surveyed his friend's sleeping arrangements and various poses. At the end of the bed, Neku was flopped on his side like a forgotten puppet, long limbs draped over the edge of the mattress and precious headphones just below his fingertips. Below the window was Beat lying on his stomach and snoring occasionally. Of the far side of the bed, Shiki lay with her back to him and the faint light filtering through the curtains outlining her side and... Rhyme.

The blonde girl lay on her back, still as a porcelain doll and with a dreaming smile gracing her lips. She looked like Sleeping Beauty, trustfully waiting for her true love's magic kiss...

The butterflies Joshua had almost forgotten about fluttered about with new energy. Making a face that rivaled the time he shot himself in the thigh, he crept back to the safety of his couch.

_Uggg...I need to sleep. Everything will look better in the morning... which is coming in about 2 hours. Joyous._

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Joshua opened one violet eye as the phone under his pillow vibrated- his alarm clock. With a silent growl of annoyance he kicked off the blankets, snatched up his clean clothes and shower stuff, and marched to the bathroom.

Stepping into the shower, he forced his stiff body to relax and let the hot water do its work. He sighed wearily, running his fingers through his silver hair. _I got to pull myself together... I've got my work cut out for me today. Kariya's sick, and I have to teach his pink-haired hench wench how to speak French. You'd think that she'd bother to try to learn the native language..._

Automatically, he reached for the shampoo bottle, opening it and freezing with sudden shock. It smelled like... cherry blossoms and sugar. Rhyme's shampoo.

He recoiled from the amber bottle like it was something poisonous, snatching his steel-blue one and filling his nose with the comfort of the familiar spicy and icy scent.

Despite his best intentions, the flood of memories swarmed him- of the dutiful care on her face as she bandaged up his hand, those sparkling sapphire eyes locked with his, chasing her with soap bubbles, the feel of her lips against his...

_I wonder if she still tastes like- ACK! What am I thinking?! I gotta get my head back in the game._

_The Game... SHIT!! I'm going to be late!_

Swear words tripping over each other as they flew off his tongue, Joshua threw on a robe, dashed out to the kitchen, started the coffee and threw toast in the toaster, then back to the bathroom to throw on his clothes in record time.

He straightened his collar in the mirror, sighing as adjusted his clothes again and fluffed up his damp hair with his fingers to speed up the drying process. He smirked, feeling more in control now. _My name is Yoshiya Kiryu, 15 year old mastermind, Composer of the first ever Game, executer of the perfect murder, and one of the worlds youngest billionaires._ He struck a minor pose, enjoying the feel of his slightly depleted self-esteem inflate to continent-like proportions.

...Then he remembered the toast was still in the toaster, most likely burned to a state beyond recognition and smoking like hell.

"Oh, _fuck_ this morning... " Joshua dashed back out to the kitchen and promptly froze at the sight of his toast- golden brown, lightly buttered, and seated on an ivory plate_. There are butterflies in my stomach, memories in a shampoo bottle, now my toast is preparing itself? Can it get weirder in the RG?_

_Nope... but it can get more awkward._

"Your food was starting to scorch so I pulled it out of the toaster for you. I hope you don't mind. " A shy, soft voice spoke behind him, fidgeting slightly with the edge of her overlong sweatshirt she had worn as a pajama- the bottom of which hovered just around mid-thigh length. Rhyme; apparently a fellow early riser... or a very light sleeper. Joshua felt his face heat up slightly.

"Thank you, " he replied, keeping his tone distant and polite. For a moment, the braver part of his mind considered pinning her to the wall and seeing if she did still taste like strawberries and cream, but the rest of his mind quickly squashed that. _No more distractions this morning- I need to concentrate._

Seating himself at the table, he began to silently eat his toast. However, his attention was irresistibly drawn to the figure sitting across from him, daintily drinking tea.

He shook his head lightly, letting his hair partly obscure her from his sight, and scowled as he forced his gaze down to the plate. His attention kept flipping back and forth, causing him a minor headache and a train of though that was something like this:

_That was so nice of- toast. Look at the toast. Damn, I'd love to just- the toast, yummy toast. Boring toast. I wonder what she's wearing under- Toast. TOAST. _

_DAMN YOU TOAST._

Finishing the last of his breakfast as hastily as he could without looking like a total slob, Joshua stood up to take his plate over to the sink and more or less ran into Rhyme.

"Oh! S-sorry, Joshua. " Her blue eyes were huge with shock, cheeks flushed like his. Mere inches separated both pairs of open lips, and for a moment he seriously considered closing the gap between them.

Just then, Shiki stumbled in. "Morning, guys... " She moved over to the coffee-maker with zombie like slowness, not noticing her roommates' little almost kiss.

"That bed is so comfy, Joshua. Can't thank you enough. "

He swallowed as he backed away from Rhyme, refusing to meet her gaze and collecting himself hastily. "Yes, well, it's no big deal. I've got to go though, business calls. Be back around 3pm, so here are a couple rules. You break it, order it, or eat it; you buy it. No exceptions. See you later, Shiki... Rhyme. " The last word was soft and low, followed with a polite nod and one of the faster exits Joshua had made in his life.

In the elevator, he cracked his neck impulsively, muscles tense as he hit the ground floor button. I've got a long day ahead of me... hopefully it goes smoother than the morning.

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Joshua hummed to himself as he jogged up the stairs- the day had gone exceptionally well due to Uzuki's dedication to her job and learning. His stomach made a sound like a cross between a chainsaw and a dying taboo Grizzly_. Sheesh..._ He made a face_. I probably shouldn't have missed lunch._

Opening the door, he poked his head around the corner to the TV room curiously. Orange spikes were mingling with black waves as some random sports show played on the screen.

Neku turned sideways to see who came in. "Oh. Bring home food, Josh? "

"Um... No. I have food here. "

Shiki joined in the conversation. "Oh, really? What? "

"Imported Shio ramen, of course. "

Neku coughed. "Smuggling it in your suitcase does NOT make it imported. "

"Shut up, Phones. " Joshua shrugged off his black coat, hanging up beside the door and vanishing into the bedroom only to reappear moment's later with ramen in hand. "Why don't you guys go out and get some local fare? Get some fresh air, save some money instead of getting room service, and get off the couch. "

"Fine, MOM. " The previously unnoticed Beat said from the kitchen, wandering into Joshua's sight followed closely by Rhyme. "We'll ge' out of yo' hair, ai'ght? Bu' you gotta show us where t' eat in this 'hood. "

"...What? " The silver-haired teen shot him a look. _In the name of me... he doesn't __**speak**__ the language so much as chew it up and spit it out._ "I don't speak 'gansta'. "

"Wha'chu say? "

Rhyme interrupted by clearing her throat. "Um... can you show us a good place to eat, Joshua? We didn't spend much time in these parts- we were farther north for our classes and most of our meals were arranged for us. "

He sighed, and shrugged in submission. "Fine. I'll take you to my favorite place, " _that's in your price range,_ he mentally finished. "Just follow me. "

On the way out the door, Joshua caught Rhyme's eye. She gave a slight smile of gratitude- he flushed lightly and looked away only to catch Beat's eye. The older Bito cracked his knuckles in warning.

_Oh boy,_ he thought. _This is going to be a fascinating evening_.

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CHAPTER CLOSED.


	3. The Catalyst

A/N

A/N. A million-billion thanks to my reviewers!! Been battling some weird illnesses... but yeah. You don't care. You just want the story, don't you. Yeah... I'm feeling you. -grins-

Here you all go- with new chapter titles, and a different-than-planned ending. And, holy crap, is it a big chapter.

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-Chapter Three-

-The Catalyst-

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After a delicious late lunch/early diner in a local cafe, the Fabulous Five were standing around outside enjoying the evening air, each with their own private trains of thought. Joshua's was alternating from making snide mental remarks about the state of Players scuttling around and shooting looks at Beat. More than once he had felt the need to inform the staff that _Monsieur Bito_ was not drunk, just naturally loud and obnoxious. _Poor Rhyme- she has to live with him._

The evening wasn't a total failure- the food was very good and Joshua had managed to regain his confidence (to a degree) by occasionally 'tuning in' to the UG and listening to the Players as they scurried in and out of the cafe. One of them tried to scan him- he had casually summoned a Progfox to distract them. _Lovely Noise, Progfox_, he pondered absently. _Such a pain to erase when one didn't have the proper tools._

Shibuya's Composer didn't have to scan to know what the others were thinking. Shiki was looking purposefully at an outlet mall, shopping on her mind, Neku was nodding his head in time with his music and every few seconds glancing at his girlfriend, avoiding shopping on his. Beat was yawning and stretching comfortably, most likely thinking about sleep, and Rhyme was... studying him?

He met her gaze with one eyebrow cocked, his face kept carefully blank. She gave a small smile back, and he faked a cough as the butterflies in his stomach fluttered with renewed vigor. _Damn you bugs- I thought we were over this_.

"Yo, I'ma gonna head back to the pad, aight? " Beat stated, turning to face the rest of the group. "Anyone gonna join me? "

"We're going shopping, " Shiki cooed as she winked at a resigned Neku. Joshua smirked. "Sounds like a good time. Mind if I tag along? "

"Not at all. You're coming too, Rhyme. I can see the cutest dress in the window- you are at very least trying it on. No buts- let's go! See you at the hotel, Beat! " Shiki, the unofficial leader of this gang, ushered them all into the nearby mall entrance.

Joshua suppressed a sound of despair. _I was betting on Rhyme's loyalty, not Shiki's clothes fetish. Crap._ He brightened, however, at Neku's groan. "Oh, cheer up, Neku. We won't change your signature 'style' too much. I'm sure we can find something for you that looks like it was made for someone with a watermelon for a neck. " He smirked, and flipped his hair out of the way.

Ye Olde Neku would have hissed death threats at the Composer, damn the possible consequences, but this Neku was reduced to a pissed off look as he was drug by Shiki's girl power into a fabric shop, leaving Joshua and Rhyme to follow or be swallowed in the foreign crowd.

"Aren't you coming, Joshua? " Rhyme paused in the center of the repidly growing distance between the ex-player and the ashen-haired teen. He shrugged. "I hate breaking a sweat. Go on ahead- I can always catch up. "

The blonde girl hesitated for a moment, looking from the casual-faced Joshua to the dating couple swiftly vanishing. At last she scurried to the Composer's side, falling automatically into step with him. "I'll give them some space, " she said quietly- _justifying her actions perhaps?_, he wondered.

Silence lapsed for a time as they silently followed the assumed path that Neku and Shiki had taken, all the while Joshua's brilliant (albeit rather twisted) mind was operating at lightning speeds. _As much as I hate to admit it, Rhyme... sort of scares me. She's so disarming... so sweet... and because of that, a little dangerous. When everyone really __**is**__ out to kill you and gain your powers, it's a __**little**__ important to stay alive and on your guard._

_I hate small talk- but I feel like I should say something. Anything would be nice- better than this awkward silence._

Thankfully, an opportunity for conversation presented itself. Rhyme paused for a moment outside a Wild-Boar-esque store. "Beat and I used to go to a store like this all the time... "

Joshua 'hm'd in response. "They're all guy clothes, " he stated at last.

"So? They're comfortable. "

"So are a lot of girl clothes, but you don't see me wearing dresses all over the place. " Emboldened by the absence of the rest of the group, he caught her wrist and gently pulled her over to a boutique reminiscent of Pavo Real and such. "Let's go in here. "

"But I- c-can't... "

"Humor me. " Already, he was rooting through the racks for something. "What do you think about this? "

It was a peacock's shade of turquoise, a broad band around the stomach cut away and replaced with fine silver mesh, one shouldered and delicately embroidered around neck and bottom. Rhyme's eyes grew huge, and she touched it reverently. "Oh, Joshua... it's... gorgeous. But... I'd never wear it. "

He scowled slightly. _That color matches her eyes perfectly...but she's right. Poor girl lives almost in the ghetto._ A little flicker of pain passed through his spine, and he made a face. _Pity? In me? Highly unlikely._

"You're still trying it on. Now, pick something for me. "

Her face lit up, and she bit back a smile as she snatched a green version of the dress Joshua was holding. He raised one eyebrow fractionally. "Be serious, Rhyme. "

Her expression sobered quickly, flushing slightly with embarrassment. "This purple would match my eyes better, " he finished to reassure her he was joking, flashing a smile and nudging an amethyst affair.

She giggled, then caught sight of a suit in the background, her light touch on his arm pulling him along like an invisible chain. _Like the Love Me Tether,_ he absently thought, reminded of a pin in Neku's arsenal.

"Here. Try this one on, Joshua. "

"I'll add it to the stack. "

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About 20 minutes and 6 outfits later, both teenagers were back in their original clothes and standing sheepishly outside of the store.

"I can't believe they kicked us out, " Joshua muttered, a smile struggling to come out of hiding behind his light scowl.

"Well, we were disturbing the other customers, and we didn't even buy anything. I'm sorry- "

He waved his hand in the air, brushing aside her apology. "Oh, don't worry about it. There are other shops we can invade. Like... that one! "

With slight hesitation in her step, Rhyme followed Joshua into a jewelry store. Lights reflecting off the diamonds, gold, and silver scattered little spots of color on the walls, as if a rainbow had been solidified then shattered with it's fragments hovering in the air. The violet-eyed boy cast his gaze over the glass boxes, giving his companion a passing glance as she browsed the shop, eyes brighter than any diamond.

_Maybe... I've been wrong about this_, he thought with a 'hm'_. Maybe... affections not a weakness. Maybe it's a strength._

She was transfixed by a bracelet a few feet away; a simple gold cord with a bell-shaped pendant hanging from it. Absently, she touched the necklace she wore. His lips quirked up at one corner as a plan formed in his mind. _Only one way to tell- experiment._

"Like it? "

She jumped slightly, her face reddening slightly as she noticed him standing at her shoulder. "Oh! Um... yeah. " She smiled slightly. "You find anything you like? "

A slow smile was creeping across his face. "As a matter of fact... yes. " Generosity was not a feeling Joshua felt often (read: ever), and it took him by surprise. This compulsive need to buy her something was not typical of him- like a new toy or a shiny button, he just had to try it out. "Excuse me, Ma'am? " He turned to the brunette behind the counter. "We'll take this one. "

He turned back to a speechless Rhyme, giving her a casual smile as if this was a daily occurrence as the butterflies inside him flittered about maddeningly. Sliding the currency across the counter, he waved a good-bye and led the blonde out of the shop.

"J-Joshua... you shouldn't have! I'd never be able to pay you back! " She was flustered, scarlet cheeked, and... rather cute.

"We'll call it even. I never got to thank you for your help back then. " He didn't have to explain further. She knew. "Now, try it on. I insist. "

Pulling the slender black box out of the bag, Joshua pulled Rhyme closer to him.. Almost reverently, he fastened the bracelet around her dainty wrist, eyes flicking up to mark the blush on her cheeks. She still stared at the bracelet, lips trembling as she struggled for something to say.

"W-we're not even. " She blurted at last, heated blue gaze capturing his own. "I never thanked you... for this. "

She reached up and kissed him, lightly and softly, just enough to bring back the memories he hated yet cherished. _I always thought kissing her was a mistake, one that I'd nver want to make again. But now... _

_She likes me back?_

For a moment, Joshua was torn between his natural instincts and his new-found feelings. Then he pushed his logical thoughts away. _Experiment._ Before she could back away, he pulled her into him, returning her kiss with a gentle passion that surprised even him. Her hands slid up to his shoulders, his arm wrapping around her waist.

Any Player who dared to scan them would have found but one thought in their heads, one emotion.

Bliss.

x0x0x0x0x -The Next Day- x0x0x0x0x

Nothing in that little group stayed secret for long, so when Joshua showed up at the airport to say goodbye, no one was surprised and no one asked him about his black eye. They knew.

Beat, after much complaint, had backed away from his sister long enough for her to speak to Joshua. The Composer sighed as the older Bito gave him the 'I'm watching you' hand signal. "He never stops, does he? "

"No. " Rhyme shrugged, then wrapped Joshua in a tight hug. "I'll see you in Shibuya, right? "

"Count on it. " He smiled. "Better go before Beat decides to finished what he started. "

Returning Rhyme's wave, Joshua mused on the last few days. _Well, I've found out two things on this trip. One, maybe affection isn't a weakness after all._

_And two, she still tastes like strawberries and cream._

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FIN.


End file.
